China delivered Friday two domestically manufactured Xinzhou-60
passenger planes to Laos and the Republic of Congo, the first sale
of this aircraft to the two countries.
The delivery ceremony was held in Yanliang Aircraft Town, about
70 kilometers north of Xi'an, home to the Xi'an Aircraft
Company.
Andre Okombi Salissa, Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation
of the Republic of Congo, Somphone Douangdara, president of Laos
Airlines, and Meng Xiangkai, vice-president of Xi'an Aircraft,
signed the delivery documents in the town.
Developed and manufactured by Xi'an Aircraft, a subsidiary of
China Aviation Industry Corporation, the Xinzhou-60 is a turboprop
aircraft that can carry 50 to 60 passengers. It sells for about 100
million yuan (US$12.5 million).
The plane meets international safety, comfort, and ease of
maintenance standards, and costs 10 to 20 percent less than similar
types of aircraft, according to experts.
Air Zimbabwe signed a purchase deal with Xi'an Aircraft in
November 2004, becoming the first foreign customer for the
plane.
Zimbabwe has so far bought three Xinzhou-60 aircraft.
By the end of the year, a total of 11 planes will have been
delivered to six countries in Southeast Asia and Africa, according
to the company.
The company has so far signed purchase deals involving 32
Xinzhou-60 planes with eight countries worldwide, said the
company.
(Xinhua News Agency July 29, 2006)